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Suspense Waiting For Clipsal Killing Kelly |
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Wednesday, 20 February 2008 |
JACK DANIEL’S RACING’S NEW SIGNING TODD KELLY
“All the hard work’s been done; we just need to see where that puts us. I really don’t
know where, but we’ll have an idea during Friday’s practice. I can’t wait, the
suspense is killing me.”
That’s Todd Kelly’s impressions on where he and his new Jack Daniel’s Racing team
stand in relation to the ever improving V8 Supercar competition heading into this
weekend’s championship opening round in Adelaide, the Clipsal 500.
Kelly and new team-mate Shane Price tested their Jack Daniel’s Racing Holden
Commodore VEs at Winton last week – Kelly setting the eighth quickest time, Price
12th best – but the 28-year-old doesn’t believe the test was a true form indicator.
“Since Christmas we’ve spent every moment working as hard as we can to make
sure we do the best possible job in Adelaide, so we used Winton to test the components we’ve been designing to make the car better,” Kelly said.
“There was obviously pressure on us all, I felt the expectations as the new driver, but we preferred to work through our testing program rather than trying for outright times. We didn’t put any ‘greens’ (new tyres) on to go faster, but I think everyone was comfortable with where we were at.”
Kelly said the Jack Daniel’s Racing team had achieved a lot in the short two months
since he signed with team owner Larry Perkins.
“The workload’s been high, but the team has been fantastic. I’m comfortable in the
car and everything’s coming together. There’s still work to do and I’m sure Adelaide
will be tough – it’s the toughest race of the year – but when you’re under the pressure of a race weekend then you learn faster.
“I think we can go into Adelaide confident in ourselves and our equipment and hope
for the best. Friday will be the day of truth.”
With a year in the V8 ‘main game’ under his belt and now Kelly’s experience to learn from, 21-year-old Price is looking for a leap up the points table in 2008.
“For me, I’d be disappointed if I wasn’t in the top 15 and pushing into the top 10 –
and that’s just for a start,” Price said.
“Todd’s going to be great help for my development as a driver and if I can take
something from his advice and combine it with what I’ve already learned then
achieving my goals is possible.”
Having made his fulltime series debut at last year’s Clipsal 500, Price said he was
heading into this weekend’s race knowing what to expect.
“Adelaide’s the hardest race of the year and with just one test we’re all probably
heading in a little rusty, but I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
“I know what to expect; I know how aggressive everyone is, and I now know how to treat them back. The aggression took me by surprise last year, it’s the most
aggressive and competitive category I’ve ever raced in, but Adelaide’s a place where it can bite you on the backside. I’ll try be level-headed about the whole deal.”
The 10th anniversary Clipsal 500 begins this Thursday, 21 February, with the Jack
Daniel’s Racing Holden Commodores of Kelly and Price hitting the track for the first
time during Friday’s practice.
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